Discovery is like a free fall; a new understanding of something previously taken for granted; a surprise affection, something beautiful or new knowledge. With discovery we are thrust into the moment. The experience is vitalizing, it awakens our senses. Think of a child who first sees a butterfly, they chase it, its colors are so beautiful, it’s dance is so erratic. We can envision the child laughing and even shouting with delight. If the butterfly flies away the child might burst into tears. That’s a part of discovery too. It’s not just children that discover.

Our wonder might come as a dance, a beautiful song, a sunrise or a new friend or lover that thrusts us into the moment.

Excerpt: “…We see the short-term gains of Machiavellian tactics with intimate relationships and oil companies, both lie to achieve a goal, but we anticipate eventual disaster in both. *Facts may demand cash now, give a short or long-term credit but thefacts eventually enforce payment with penalties and interest. That’s the price of a lie. We may not pay it but others will. The next generations will pay for our truth neglect about climate change. In any intimate relationship, the cost and anguish due to deceit is difficult to measure. The cost is time of life wasted, that time we never get back. Add the cost of all the palliative diversions used to mitigate the suffering, add therapy, divorce, and moving etc. If children are involved, add their anguish. I say no! Lies are NOT easier.

Why is truthfulness risky in intimate relationships? Because giving the truth to a beloved offers them real choices while surrendering control of the outcome.

We must also value that the life in others does not exist to serve our little plans but rather to blossom on the vine of life. Why not embrace truthfulness…”

Youth Suicide; Todd Vickers takes a hard look at the problem focusing on the stifling of sexuality to conform with tradition. Currently more educated young people die by their own hand than anywhere else in India, why? Let’s not balk to talk about sex when what’s at risk are the lives of our promising youth and the future they can create.

Remember the problem is youth suicide, not the emotional discomfort of those who adhere to a custom. Let’s keep the priorities straight.

“The truthfulness needed may go far beyond what our parents ever imagined. Every human advance today came about as an alternative to what went before, that process of advance is still ongoing. The conventional mind feels certainty and that’s absurd in the light of the change in conventions over the centuries. Every advocate for a new advance began as a minority. If we wish to recon with sex honestly, harmlessly and pave the way to more wholesome access to freer choices, we need to be part of a new kind of thinking that adapts to the world as it is not as our ancestors saw it.

People need to feel safe and respected in their sexual self discovery.

People don’t want the wrath of the orthodox to crush them especially women whose desires lay hidden behind fears about reputation, pregnancy, abuse, loss of freedom and livelihood. I’m saying we must put an end to using sex as a weapon.

Understand Intimate Relationships

We perpetuate the misery because now another person believes something fictional is factual. Fictions have consequences in the real world. Think of prejudices or preëmptive war.

In miss-understanding pain we hurt others without knowing we are doing so.

We do not love another’s ideas of themselves. We love the people who can let go of these fictions. Unfortunately people build relationships out of supporting each other’s fictions, understanding pain becomes impossible and people even call this love and support! It’s more like a recipe for miserable failure. Meditation is… Read More at Vivriti.org

Join us for for talks discussing The Relevance of Kabir with the Author Todd Vickers. The talks focus on meditation and questioning our beliefs. Keep an eye on this page for upcoming details on upcoming talks. To find out more about the author, read his latest piece called Americans Need Indian Genius. Check out the Vivriti Blog for a taste of the this author on diverse subjects and view the short videos at the YouTube channel.

“Who do you know who does not place a boundary around his love? We are afraid others will use us and that our desire for love makes us foolish. In deference to this fear, we try to be smart and use others in the name of love for our own ends. We become what we fear and keep things hidden from our mates, especially the secrets that…” Read more at Vivriti.org

LV Smith, host of the show Sounds Within

Interviews author Todd Vickers

The discussion includes Kabir as a social reformer, a scourge of custom and criticizing the religions of his time. The conversation moves from the benefits of meditation to the need for critical thinking to avoid spiritual ‘make believe.’ Todd introduces a critique of abundance mythology. Delving into the benefits of going beyond our habits to discover experience outside of how we typically think about ourselves.

Previously aired by Pasadena Media, the video is now freely available on YouTube.

Stores Selling – The Relevance of Kabir

Excerpt – The Relevance of Kabir

A man with a bucket of grain can lead a bull to slaughter, but, at least, the oats are objectively real. People can pursue both attainable things like a new car, a lover or money. Moreover, we can also chase concepts, pure abstractions even when they are untrue.